Can't afford anti-depressants...

MarkR

My fiance has had some problems with depression for several years, and has been prescribed an anti-depressant. Problem is this will be approximately €60 per month which we can ill afford. Obviously we won't be putting a price on her health, we'll have to manage somehow. I know there is the drug payment thing, but that has a ceiling of 70 odd euro, and you only get the difference? Anyone any suggestions? I don't really think there are any, but thought i'd post anyway...

Mark

climaxer

Hi Mark - the only other option you have is to reapply for the medical card and if they refuse you - you could appeal it. My Mam didn't have a medical card for years but had to go to the docs and take quite a lot of medication when she started the menopause and she reapplied for the med card - they refused - she appealed and got a local politician to back her up. Thankfully she was given the med card in the end. Its ridiculous the price of doctors etc. You sometimes cant afford to be sick. You could try alternative ways to deal with the depression - maybe some herbal remedy like St. John of Warts, counselling. Try doing a google search and maybe you could find some alternatives to combat depression.

Stark

5-htp is a very good amino acid you can get for depression. It provides the brain with the raw material it needs to make its own serotonin. Anti-depressants on the other hand block the enzymes which break down serotonin in the brain. It works but causes anti-depressants to have nasty side effects.

5-htp should be taken on an empty stomach as it often loses out in competition with other amino acids when trying to cross brain blood barrier (this is why serotonin is the most commonly deficient neurotransmitter). Also you could try having a pure carbohydrate(preferably complex) snack about 3 hours after your last meal (with protein), the insulin response will cause your muscles to take in the large amino acids allowing your brain to absorb the l-tryptophan (the precursor to 5-htp) present naturally in your food. Bananas also contain 5-htp by the way.

AngelofFire

B vitamins also work wonders.

Robbo

climaxer wrote:

Hi Mark - the only other option you have is to reapply for the medical card and if they refuse you - you could appeal it. My Mam didn't have a medical card for years but had to go to the docs and take quite a lot of medication when she started the menopause and she reapplied for the med card - they refused - she appealed and got a local politician to back her up. Thankfully she was given the med card in the end. Its ridiculous the price of doctors etc. You sometimes cant afford to be sick. You could try alternative ways to deal with the depression - maybe some herbal remedy like St. John of Warts, counselling. Try doing a google search and maybe you could find some alternatives to combat depression.

St John's Wort has been available only on prescription for a couple of years now since it was deemed to react with too many other things to be dished out unregulated.

Esel

Ok - first the poster is not depressed - his fiancee is. So we are talking about her here.

Some ideas:

1. Prozac (for instance) has gone generic - meaning you can buy it (flouxetine) a lot cheaper now. The same may apply to the drug your fiancee has been prescribed.

2. You may be able to get the meds cheaper on the net (sometimes a lot cheaper - eg Google "buy generic prozac").

3. 5-htp *may* be worth a try...but depression is serious, and even prescription meds can take a fair while to kick in.

4. You really cant afford €60 per month for something as important as this?
Tesco has bread @ 39c, 2 litres milk @ 1.19, go in 30 mins before closing and check the reduced items in the cooler - often 30% of orig price. It should be easy to make the sacrifices to help pay for her meds. This is her life/happiness we are talking about, as well as yours.

Hope your fiancee gets well. Do whats best for her.

Sleipnir

Robbo wrote:

St John's Wort has been available only on prescription for a couple of years now since it was deemed to react with too many other things to be dished out unregulated.

yeah right. It's only on prescription because people were beginning to take it instead of the expensive anti-depressants the pharma companies were pushing.

The old "it could react to something with somebody so we'd better control it" was just an excuse to make more money.

Sleepy

You could try shopping in Lidl orAldi if there's one near you. Believe me, the quality of the majority of the food products in there will amaze you. Quite a few of their products, while half the price of the brandname ones are actually better quality!

Esel

re DPS (Drug Payment Scheme) - you (or a family) pay the first €78 per month for prescription meds.

I know you said €60, but you/she should join the DPS anyway, because at least that way you will never have to pay more than the €78. Makes budgeting easier - not so hard to come up with €18 extra to cover any other prescription(s) she might need to get for whatever reason instead of having to pay full cost for these also.

Definitely explore possibility of purchasing on net, but I really think you could save this amount by economising here and there as said before.

'Your health is your wealth' and all that. Look at your current outgoings from this point of view and maybe you could see your way to making a few 'sacrifices' that you would hardly notice...

I second the advice about Lidl, by the way!

Captain Trips

Sleipnir wrote:

yeah right. It's only on prescription because people were beginning to take it instead of the expensive anti-depressants the pharma companies were pushing.

The old "it could react to something with somebody so we'd better control it" was just an excuse to make more money.

Actually no.
1. Active component of SJW is not determined. SJW *is* effective for mild-moderate depression, however, it would be ludicrous to buy something where the stated dosage is not that of the active ingredient.
2. None of the trials lasted longer than 8 weeks.
3. Most trials have suggested it is better tolerated than traditional antidepressants: however, only TWO trials have been conducted comparing it to newer SSRIs (2 trials is not enough for a predictive result).

Side Effects of SJW: dry mouth, nausea, constipation, fatigue, dizziness, headache, restlessness. All just like the S/E of antidepressants. They may or may not occur.

To the original poster: if you are considering it SJW, do inform your GP/Psychiatrist: It can interact with many drugs including the OCP (pill).

I can provide references if needed.

The best solution is to do the Drug Presciption thing and get the 70 quid limit. Also, consider for a moment the implications of NOT taking treatment (this includes talking to your GP/Psychiatrist about the prognosis of untreated depression and the prognosis with treatment, risks of same). Just because it isn't in a cast and/or doesn't bleed does not mean it is something to take lightly. A single episode of depression increases liklihood of recurring episodes if untreated - this could result in life-long debilitation. One episode, treat it properly (usually a 6-18 month course, typicallyt 9-12 months). Remember that correction of biochemical imbalance takes several months - and all the while that there is an imbalance damage is being done to receptors, etc., in brain.

Basically, before you dismiss the treatment, do talk to someone about the risks of this. Also, improve diet can be a big mood effect (avoid crap like the mountains of salt and sugar in most modern food). Eat bran, fruit, etc., . Exercise can help mood as well (especially running).

Sleepy

Just a quick money saving suggestion: if you're paying rent, you're entitled to a tax credit for doing so. This works out at about €250 a year and most people don't seem to be aware of it. If neither yourself, nor your girlfriend are currently claiming it, there's €500 of the €600 you need.

Annasopra

also

heres some info on the medical card:

http://www.oasis.gov.ie/health/health_services_in_ireland/medical_card.html

http://www.oasis.gov.ie/health/health_services_in_ireland/drugs_payments_scheme.html?search=drugs+payment

info on tax reliefs you can claim:

http://www.oasis.gov.ie/housing/renting_a_flat_or_house/tax_relief_for_tenants.html?search=tax

http://www.oasis.gov.ie/health/taxation_and_medical_expenses.html?search=tax


Info on finding helpful advice to do with managing money:

http://www.oasis.gov.ie/personal_finance/mabs/how_to_use_mabs.html?search=mabs

Honor3

Hi, the IMB are useless and stupid.

- They banned St.Johns Wort and many other supplements, even 5-HTP and much more (Legal everywhere else in every developed country). Legal in France,USA,CANADA,SWEDEN,GERMANY,etc !!!. ILLEGAL = IRELAND. And only Ireland.

username123

Could the doc write a 6 month prescription and then one of you take a cheap bus to Northern Ireland to fill it - pharmacy prices are usually a lot cheaper there. You could find out by phoning ahead. An adult return to Belfast is about 25 euro. You could do the math ahead of time and decide whats best. Also, get a cheaper doctor, I joined Primacare and now I only pay 40 euro to see the doctor, it used to be 60 euro in the place I went before that.

Merkin

Honor3 wrote: »

Hi, the IMB are useless and stupid.

- They banned St.Johns Wort and many other supplements, even 5-HTP and much more (Legal everywhere else in every developed country). Legal in France,USA,CANADA,SWEDEN,GERMANY,etc !!!. ILLEGAL = IRELAND. And only Ireland.

The thread is ten years old?

username123

Merkin wrote: »

The thread is ten years old?

I never even noticed. Feel dumb now

Tokyo

Thread Closed.

Taltos

Honor3 - you have resurrected a number of zombie threads today across a number of forums.
This is in many cases against forum rules. Please before you respond to a thread or create your own read the charter and familiarise yourself with the rules as some forums (this included) are quite strict in relation to rule breaches.

Thread closed